1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus such as a portable computer comprising an optical disk drive, more particularly to a structure for ground-connecting the optical disk drive to the housing of the portable computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recent portable computer comprises an optical disk drive, such as a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive and a CD-R drive. By inserting an optical disk into the optical disk drive, video data and music data of high capacity are reproduced. The optical disk drive is removable from the housing of the portable computer, so that an appropriate drive can be selected in accordance with how the portable computer is used or how the user's request is.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-133776 discloses a portable computer comprising an optical disk drive. The portable computer includes a main unit and a display unit supported by the main unit. The main unit has a receptacle in which the optical disk drive can be stored. The receptacle is a depression which is open in both the bottom wall and the side wall of the main unit, and the size of the receptacle is such that the optical disk drive can be fitted in the receptacle. The optical disk drive includes a storage section in which an optical disk can be stored or held, and a driving section for rotating the optical disk. The storage section and the driving section are covered with a metallic case.
Where the optical disk drive is detachable from the main unit, it is electrically connected to the ground of the main unit. With this structure, the radiation of the electromagnetic noise is suppressed, and the noise is prevented from entering the main unit. The portable computer shown in the publication comprises a metallic conduction member on the inner surface of the receptacle. The conduction member is electrically connected to the ground of the printed circuit board stored in the main unit, and is projected toward the receptacle. When the optical disk drive is fitted in the receptacle, the conduction member comes into contact with the metallic case of the optical disk drive. As a result, the optical disk drive is ground-connected to the main unit.
With the above structure, when the optical disk drive is fitted in the receptacle, the optical disk drive deforms the conduction member and pushes it into the main unit. The main unit therefore requires a gap in which to receive the conduction member. The need to provide such a gap results in a dead space inside the main unit. As a result, a plurality of components cannot be arranged in order inside the main unit, and the main unit cannot be easily designed to be compact.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,987 discloses an electronic apparatus comprising a disk drive. A pair of support members are attached to the disk drive. The support members permit the disk drive to be supported on the electronic apparatus, and are located on the opposing sides of the disk drive. In the state where the disk drive is attached to the electronic apparatus, the support members are located between the disk device and the electronic apparatus. As can be seen from this, the disk drive is ground-connected to the electronic apparatus.
This structure has problems in that a space in which to receive the support members must be provided between the disk drive and the electronic apparatus. The electronic apparatus therefore has an increased width and cannot be designed to be compact. In addition, the support member becomes an obstacle when components are arranged inside the electronic apparatus with efficiency.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-134344 discloses an optical disk drive for use in a notebook type portable computer. The optical disk drive comprises a storage section which stores an optical disk, and a driving section which rotates the optical disk. The storage section and the driving section overlap each other. The storage section is wider than the driving section and has its one end projected horizontally from the driving section. In other words, the optical disk drive has a depression defined by one end of the storage section and the driving section. When the optical disk drive is housed in the main unit of the portable computer, the depression is exposed inside the main unit.
The main unit houses a plurality of components such as a printed circuit board, a connector, a battery, etc. Some of these components are arranged in the depression of the optical disk drive. In this manner, the depression is used as a space in which to store the components.
However, this document does not disclose anything regarding ground-connection between the optical disk drive and the main unit.